6-18-16: This Big Twin is back up for sale, find it with bidding up to $34,100
The last Indian to feature the F-head engine in a cradle-spring frame, the Big Twin is one of the milestone bikes of Indian’s long history. 1915 was the last year of production before Indian stopped racing efforts to help with the war, replacing Oscar Hedstrom’s design with their first flat head (called the Powerplus).
Indian’s marketing for the Big Twin called it “the predominant all-round machine…the crowning achievement of a company known the world over for the superiority of its product.” This was a time of rapid change for Indian – 1913 saw the introduction of the cradle frame which had a swingarm connected to leaf springs, 1914 saw the introduction of a luggage rack, and 1915 was when the company introduced options like a three-speed transmission, Schebler carb, electric lighting, and more. 21,000 Big Twins were built – who knows how many are left now.
This example (VIN: 77G414) was recently tuned and refreshed by Steve Huntsinger – the man who restored Burt Munro’s “World’s Fastest Indian” – and it’s claimed to be road worthy for any tour. It has a great history including previous ownership by Art Sigal, former president of the American Motorcyclist Association and time as the centerpiece of an exhibit called “Putting America on Wheels” at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Massachusetts. It’s got plenty of options – the luggage rack, electric lighting, and the 3-speed transmission. The correct 100-mph Corbin speedo is a fantastic period piece, as well. This looks to be a nice example (thanks to an older restoration) of Indian’s best bike of the time.
Find this Big Twin for sale here on Classic Motorcycle Consignments with a BIN of $61,500 or best offer in Costa Mesa, California.